This pack was set to contain three different devices: the drum rack, the pedal board, and the amp and cab. In order to create this we had to start with some recording - starting with the drum kit. We needed to make full samples of three different drum kits, with three velocities for each different drum. This would mean that we would need to hit each drum at least 3 times all at different strengths in order to be able to get the weak, medium, and hard hits. This would take a few different sessions due to the slow nature of the process.

Us setting up the drum kit for sample recording

These drum recordings were then taken into ProTools where they could all be normalized to the same volume and exported as different files, a process that takes way too much time. After this was done the files were then taken into Ableton Live, put into sampler and onto a drum rack. Each drum rack pad had different versions of the same drum mapped to it, taken from the three different drum kits that we recorded. These different versions of the drum could then be switched using a macro controller that was mapped to it. This way it was possible to have one MIDI drum track and have the ability to switch between different parts of the drum kits in real time.

For the guitar side of things we started by recording impulse responses of three different guitar cabs, which were then able to be used in the convolution reverb plugin in order to simulate the guitar cabs. We mapped macro controls to each of the different cabs to control their level and pan, so that they could be blended together in a number of different ways. We then used the stock guitar amp plugin in Ableton Live in order to get the preamp for the cab, and then we had a full guitar amplifier device working.

We created ten different guitar pedals for use, all made using stock Ableton Live plugins so that any user can use them. Each pedal used different plugins mapped to macro controls in an easy user interface, much like an actual guitar pedal. Some of these required more work than others, such as some needing some more EQ work, some needing multiple plugins to operate, and some having too many controls that might need mapping.

Two different examples of the guitar pedals, left being the Auto Wah, and right being the Distortion

Lastly a demo session was made in Ableton Live which consisted of a MIDI drum track, three D.I. guitar tracks, and a bass track. This was made so that the audience could have a track to play around and experiment with, and also to show what our pack is capable of. We have made some adjustments with the devices that we included in the session in order to fit the song, but can be adjusted at any time by the operator.

Previous Work

Reflection